Vadym Yermolayev, a Ukrainian businessman subject to sanctions who was injured in an explosion in Monaco on 29 June, has alleged that officers from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence may have been involved in the attack. In a letter published by his law firm, he asked the authorities in Monaco, Ukraine and France to guarantee protection for his family, relatives, witnesses and lawyers.
Briefly about the main points
- In his letter, Yermolayev accused officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate of being involved in the assassination attempt.
- He stated that the conclusion was based on information from the investigation.
- The businessman requested protection for his family, witnesses, lawyers and others involved in the case.
- An explosion in Monaco on 29 June left three people injured.
- In the Berezovskaya murder case, two suspects have been remanded in custody without bail.
What Yermolayev stated in his letter
According to the French regional newspaper *Nice-Matin*, the businessman’s letter was made public by the law firm Dynasty Law & Investment, which represents his interests. The newspaper reports that the authenticity of the document was also confirmed by a lawyer Yermolaeva in Monaco.
Yermolayev stated that, based on information obtained during the investigation, he and his representatives consider the following to be directly involved in assassination attempt officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate. According to him, the available evidence allegedly suggests that the operation involved not only the perpetrators and organisers, but also intelligence officers, some of whom may be close to the service’s current or former leadership.
The businessman noted that he recognises the seriousness of such allegations and believes they warrant a full, independent and transparent investigation. He also thanked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his personal attention to the matter and for the assistance already provided.
Request for protection following the explosion
Yermolayev asked the authorities in Monaco, Ukraine and France, as well as the relevant international institutions, to guarantee the safety of his family and loved ones, witnesses, lawyers and others connected with the case. He called for this protection to be provided until all those responsible, including the person who ordered the crime, have been identified and brought to justice.
Referring to the explosion on 29 June, the businessman stated that his wife and child were with him at the time. In his view, the attackers’ aim may have been to kill all three of them. Yermolayev emphasised that his statement was not directed against Ukraine or the Ukrainian people.
Investigation into a related case in Ukraine
The explosion in Monaco took place at around 9.00 pm on 29 June. Three people were injured, two of whom sustained very serious injuries. Sources close to «Ukrainska Pravda» in business circles reported that Yermolayev and his relatives were among those injured.
On 3 July, Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for Anastasia Berezovskaya, a 39-year-old Ukrainian national. Law enforcement authorities in Monaco suspected her of planting an explosive device. On 7 July, it emerged that Berezovska had been found murdered and buried near Kyiv.
On the same day, the National Police, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) and the Office of the Prosecutor General announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with her murder. The investigation suggested that they may also have been involved in the assassination attempt in Monaco, as, according to its findings, they had repeatedly transferred funds to Berezovska’s cryptocurrency and bank accounts. On 9 July, the Pecherskyi District Court in Kyiv remanded Vladislav Reut and Vitaliy Zhikovych in custody without the possibility of bail.
The allegations were made against a backdrop of several different accounts
Following Yermolayev’s letter, investigators in Monaco were looking into the possibility of the SBU’s involvement. At the same time, the businessman himself explicitly named the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) in a new statement, citing information which, he claimed, had been provided during the investigation.
His statement thus adds a new account from the victim’s side to the public record of the case. Yermolayev stated that his lawyers would continue to cooperate with the investigators and provide them with information which, in their view, would help establish the circumstances of the attack.
